Lawyer for Roman Polanski's Rape Victim: "Leave Her Alone"

Samantha Geimer, the woman who was drugged and raped by Roman Polanski at age 13 in 1977, doesn't want the director to go to jail -- she wants to be left alone.

An attorney for Geimer explained to a California appeals court Friday Oct. 23 that his client has suffered health problems and job woes since Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in late September, the Associated Press reports today.

Urging the Second District Court of Appeals to dismiss the criminal case against Polanski, Attorney Lawrence Silver said that Geimer has received nearly 500 media queries (including requests from Larry King and Oprah Winfrey) and is being "stalked by journalists."

"The pursuit has caused her to have health-related issues," the filing said. "The pursuit has caused her performance at her job to be interfered with and has caused the understandable displeasure of her employer and the real possibility that Samantha could lose her job."

Geimer (who revealed her identity long ago) met the director in 1977 as a 13 year-old model at a photo shoot; he was accused of raping her after giving her champagne and part of a Quaalude pill. Polanski pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse, and was sent to prison for a 90-day psychiatric evaluation. Released after 42 days in 1978, Polanski fled the country the night before additional sentencing was scheduled.